Photo: dpa

Hail pummels 30,000 new VWs

Published: 27 Jun 08 08:40 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/national/20080627-12735.html

Volkswagen on Friday said that a severe hailstorm last weekend damaged a significant number of the 30,000 new cars at its plant in the northwestern German city of Emden.

It was the worst hail damage in the history of Europe's biggest automaker.

VW spokesman Christoph Adomat told Friday's edition of the Süddeutsche Zeitung daily, that the tennis ball-sized hailstones damaged the cars' paint and dented rooftops and hoods. Windshields, however, were not shattered.

Damage amounts could reach the hundreds of millions of euros, Adomat said, adding that VW is insured against hail damage.

"We are now meticulously inspecting every car," he told the paper. "Our customers have a right to a automobile in top condition, so we're going over everything."

A VW spokesman told news agency AFP on Friday that the damages could total €100,000, but the company was insured against such incidents.

DPA/The Local (news@thelocal.de)

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